


Vigilante

by scarslikeconstxllations



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Action, Aged-Up Characters, F/M, Fighting, Freeform, Friends With Benefits, Lots of kissing, No sex tho cause plot, Non-Miraculous abilities, Romance, Sensuality, Short Story, Superheroes, They both are fighting the same villain, They learn to work together, Two opposing heroes that hate each other at first, Vigilante, Villains, Violence, just kidding, lots of making out, mini series, no miraculous, or do they, that's better
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 12:45:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15663501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarslikeconstxllations/pseuds/scarslikeconstxllations
Summary: For years, Marinette Dupain-Cheng has protected the city of Paris as a vigilante known as Ladybug. In her spotted red and black spandex suit, she protects Paris from criminals that the police force has trouble catching. However, that all changes when a certain black cat shows up to ruin her plans. Known as Chat Noir, the leather-clad man prances around Paris in a catsuit, trying to take on her job. Chat Noir proclaims himself as her teammate, but Marinette does everything in her power to avoid the man.However, the arrival of a terrifying villain in Paris puts a damper on her plans. Known as Hawkmoth, the supervillain threatens to turn Paris into a sea of mindless zombies and to take over the major cities of the world so that he may be all powerful. Though she tries to fight him alone, Marinette finds herself in an unwanted need of Chat's assistance.  Can they put aside their differences to take down Hawkmoth, or will their tense dynamic crack under pressure?





	1. Superbug

**Author's Note:**

> A.n. This is a kind of mini-series that I was working on at one point. It's been sitting in my drafts on docs and I finally decided to post it here. It shouldn't have too many parts, but posting it as a mini-series places a lot less stress on me to keep it within a certain word count. Anyways I hope you enjoy! Please leave kudos on any parts that you like. And please give feedback, I live off of it like a leech. ^_^

****

**❝ ᴀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ʜᴇʀᴏ ɪs ᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʀᴇᴀʟɪsᴇs ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇɴ'ᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴡᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴍᴀsᴋ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴏɴᴇ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ. ❞**

****

**≫ ─── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ─── ≪**

Date: September 14th

Location: A warehouse in Paris

_Harder. She had to train harder._

Her heart pounded in her chest as she punched and kicked at the sack hanging from the ceiling. The side of it gave with a final kick, the entire bag collapsing as the stuffing spilled out of it. With an exhausted sigh, she plopped down on the floor, leaning against the fallen bag for support. She threw her head back, staring up at the ceiling of the warehouse she’d been training in for months. 

She was Marinette Dupain-Cheng, or Ladybug, as she was better known by. She was the daughter of two bakers from the heart of Paris. Growing up, she found herself challenging things that normal people wouldn’t. She liked tackling tough problems that seemingly couldn’t be solved. She liked arm wrestling the boys to show them that just because she was a girl, it didn’t mean she wasn’t strong. She liked arguing her point and defending her beliefs or moral values. She liked helping people get out of difficult situations. And she craved danger most of all. That was how she started becoming Ladybug, superhero and protector of Paris. 

She worked with a family friend, Dr. Jonas Cooper. Dr. Cooper was a scientist who specialized in gene manipulation. She also had many friends in the biotechnology industry, and then some. Together, they designed a treatment to give Marinette increased strength, agility, fluidity of motion, and other unique abilities. She didn’t want to ask for the near impossible: superpowers. She wanted to justify the point that a normal girl could be a superhero, even without powers. Instead, someone in the biotech inc created a special weapon for her. It was a yo-yo, but not just any yo-yo. It was infinitely long and unbreakable. It had many different uses and abilities. 

The treatment itself was brutal. It took months of tests, overnight lab stays, and injections to get the perfect gene combination. There was always the chance that her body would rebel against the treatment and attack it, which would most likely result in serious illness or death. But she took the chance anyway and was thankfully successful. With time, she worked on controlling her new abilities and her weapon. 

Developing her hero identity had been more complex than she had thought. She was a designer at heart since she was a little girl, so she had no problem creating a costume with the finest material—stronger than average thanks to the biotech corp—and getting used to swinging around in it. Then there was the name, which she had decided one day upon being in her last treatment appointment. She saw a ladybug land on the operating table near her and was inspired by it. She figured everyone needed a little bit of luck in their lives, and she wanted to be that for them. 

Proving herself to Paris was another problem. How would every react to a person in a red spandex suit with superhuman abilities and a magical yo-yo trying to save the day? Probably not too kindly. They would either think she’s a joke or be afraid of her. Fearing the worst, she had been hesitant to try out her new powers saving Paris. But she reminded herself that every good hero started out that way, and found the motivation she needed. 

It took a whole long time. And she was certain there were people that still didn’t trust her. But she was glad that some people looked up to her, even if she was still running from the law after saving the day. She began to train in an abandoned warehouse, making periodic visits to the laboratory for power check-ups and weapon upgrades. She had everything under control. 

_At least, until HE came along._

Chat Noir. The stupid cat-themed wannabe superhero. Seriously, who did he think he was? Sauntering along and trying to steal the spotlight from her? It frustrated her to no end. She had worked so hard to get where she was, and he had come along to ruin it for her. She hated him—hated him with a burning, fiery passion. 

He was cocky, too. Nothing like her, who was humble all the time. He strutted around like he was the best in the world and was capable of anything. It made her blood boil, especially when he started making comments to her. 

_"Nice try, Buggaboo, but you should leave it to the big, strong cat to handle."_

'Big, strong cat?' Seriously? She was more than capable of handling the situations on her own. She had before he even started to poke his whiskers in her business. Clenching her fists, she memorized the writing engraved in the ceiling. 

_❝ I am stronger than I look. I am smarter than I seem. Don’t underestimate me, for it will be your biggest mistake. ❞_

She had engraved it on the ceiling, using black charcoal. She had been having a particularly rough training session that day and had landed on a beam just below the ceiling. Needing motivation, she wrote that quote on the ceiling. So every day, when she felt like giving up, she could look up and say to herself, ‘Don’t give up Marinette.’

Marinette hated every minute of training. It was exhausting, both mentally and physically. It was starting to affect her emotionally as well. She felt like she wasn’t strong enough to handle the training . . . like she wasn’t strong enough to stand alone. The appearance of another hero made her feel lesser about herself. 

Maybe if he was less cocky whenever offering his assistance, she would have considered him a potential partner. But he would never act in a respectful manner. He was hopeless, a lost cause. 

Marinette heard a buzzing, which caused her to jump. The police radio that she had hacked was going crazy. Jumping up, she rushed to it and pressed the receiver button. 

_[Static] Robbery at 329 West Avenue . . . [static]. . . suspect was reported to have entered a white van with the stolen goods . . . [static] . . . armed and dangerous . . . [static then irregular beeping]_

Marinette clenched her fists. It was time for Ladybug.

****

**≫ ─── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ─── ≪**

Date: September 14th

Location: 329 West Ave., Paris

Ladybug crouched on the ledge of a building, studying the scene carefully. The building was swarmed with officers and was being blocked off with yellow crime scene tape. Police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances were cutting off traffic on either side of the road. She prepared to jump through a broken window when she heard the thump of boots behind her.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in."

_Chat Noir._

"I was here first," Ladybug snapped, not bothering to turn around to face him. She’d recognize his annoying voice anywhere. 

The cat whistled. "Damn, someone’s feeling rather _catty_ today. Sorry if I’m _bugging_ you, m’lady, but I figured you require my assistance."

Ladybug turned around to face him. "I don’t need your help and I never will," she snapped coldly, jumping from the ledge. She swung onto a nearby car and continued leaping from car to car, eventually reaching traffic. Sirens blared in the distance, and she followed the sound along with the directions from her radio. 

She figured Chat Noir was following her, but at the moment she couldn’t care less. She knew a way to get him off her back, once she stopped the robbers, that is. 

Landing down on the roof of a tattoo parlor, she spotted the police chasing the van in her direction. She lifted her yo-yo, preparing to wrap it around the van when a thud came from behind her. 

"Why are you running from me, Bugaboo?" Chat Noir asked loudly. 

Shrieking in surprise, Ladybug lost her balance and tumbled off the roof. She managed to catch herself with her yo-yo, latching it onto a balcony. But her grip slipped, and she found herself landing hard in the middle of the road. Terrified screams sounded from around her as people rushed to the side of the road see the infamous red and black-clad vigilante fall. 

Groaning, she lifted her head to see two sets of headlights coming her way. The officers who were apprehending the criminal slammed on their breaks, trying to avoid hitting her. Horrified, both cars swerved in opposite directions. The first crashed into a telephone pole, while the second barrelled into a flower shop, breaking through the display window. The audience of civilians that had accumulated gasped and shouted, grabbing their phones to dial the ambulances. Ladybug and Chat watched in horror as the white van disappeared out of sight. 

Chat jumped off of the roof and landed in the road, running to Ladybug’s side. He tried to help her up. "M’lady, I’m so sorry—"

Ladybug shoved him so quickly that he toppled over. _**"Don't put your hands on me!"**_ she yelled. She struggled to her feet, watching as the ambulances arrived. The medical teams ushered the officers out of their cars and onto stretchers.

Chat’s lip trembled as he watched the battered bug scream at him. “Do you have _any_ idea what you’ve done? Because of you, these innocent people got hurt. Because of you, a criminal got away. I _hate > you, Chat Noir. I always have. We will _never_ be a team, so you can just give up now,” Ladybug spat venomously. _

_And with that, she was gone, swinging off into the night._

****

**≫ ─── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ─── ≪**

Date: October 19th

Location: Biotech Laboratory in Paris

"You’re all set to go," Dr. Cooper told Marinette, patting her now bandaged arm. She put away the syringe and set the samples in their respected places, removing her rubber gloves. "You really should eat more, it looks like you’ve lost some weight since the last time I saw you."

Marinette stood up from the chair and stretched. She downed the rest of the glass of juice that the doctor has given her, tossing the plastic cup in a bin. "I’ve only lost a few pounds. Besides, the more fat I lose, the more room for muscle I’ll have," she shrugged. 

Dr. Cooper cringed. "Whatever you say, Mari." She began organizing the samples, seemingly trying to find something to fiddle with. "Hey . . . There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about."

Marinette looked up from the research notes she was flipping through. "Well, what is it?"

Dr. Cooper hesitated. "Well . . . It’s not that important, nothing too unusual. But I thought you should know. Why don’t you follow me and I’ll show you?"

Marinette agreed, and the two set off to one of the biotech study rooms. Filled to the brim with buzzing equipment, it was used for a variety of purposes. Dr. Cooper led her to a machine in the back. 

"As you already know, this machine measures the frequency of electromagnetic waves in the air," she started off, putting her hand on the top of it and giving it a light tap. "Recently, in the past few weeks I mean, a few of my teams have been picking up strange little hitches in the waves."

Marinette furrowed her brow, intrigued. "What do you mean, ‘hitches?'"

Dr. Cooper cringed. "Well, you see, the machine shows us a pattern in the waves after studying them for a period of time, say a few minutes." She showed her a pattern from a day earlier, at approximately noon. "As you can see here, the waves have a pretty regular pattern. However, at around 2.45 minutes exactly, there’s a slight hiccup. Here, let me show you." She fast forwarded the time frame to two minutes in, waiting as Marinette watched intently. Sure enough, just as the doctor had described, the waves seemed to glitch around 2.45 minutes. They flickered in an irregular pattern for barely a tenth of a second, then resumed their regular pattern. 

"There!" Dr. Cooper exclaimed. "Did you see it?"

Marinette nodded, deep in thought. "What does this mean?" she asked in concern. 

"It could mean a number of different things. But with this world we’re living in today, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone wasn’t tampering with the electromagnetic waves surrounding us."

Marinette frowned. "And how exactly would someone do that? With specialized equipment? With superpowers? I’m trying to understand what you mean here."

"Now, now, Marinette. I understand if you’re confused. Just be patient for me, okay? We don’t know exactly what it means yet, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated. I don’t trust technology over the phone these days; nothing is private. How about you stop by every Friday after dinner, before you patrol? I’m closing by then and will be available to give you a full report," she suggested. 

Marinette considered this for a moment before nodding. "Alright, you’ve got a deal."

****

**≫ ─── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ─── ≪**

Date: October 26th [One week later]

Location: Parle Cafe, South Avenue

Marinette sipped her Caramel Vanilla Latte with mild interest, watching the people of Paris bustle about outside the cafe window. She had been trying to take it easy for the past few months. Ever since her accident during the car chase, the people of Paris were even more hostile towards her. Why shouldn’t they be? She let one or more armed robbers escape with stolen goods just because a stupid cat hero wannabe scared her off the roof. 

Honestly, Paris would be better off without him. And now that she thought about it, maybe it would be better off without her. Lately, all she was doing was messing up—

_**Breaking news!"** _

Marinette jumped, setting down her latte. A small tv hanging from the ceiling was playing a live news broadcast. 

_"I’m Sèraya Meyers reporting live on 45th Street, where a masked figure was seen terrorizing a local movie theatre. The proposed criminal can be seen here, in this amateur video clip."_

Marinette gaped at the TV. A masked terror? She clenched her fists, watching as the videotape rolled. The tape showed the outside of a theatre, which civilians were fleeing from in terror. A few minutes into the video, a dark figure is seen hovering in the air. The figure lifts what appears to be a staff, and points it at various people. Something shoots out of it and lands on them, causing them to fall to the ground. 

Marinette decided she’d seen enough. Jumping up, she left a tip on her table for the barista and rushed out the door. Ducking into a nearby alleyway, she changed into her suit and swung into the heart of the city. Her first stop: 45th Street.

It was time for Ladybug.


	2. Butterflies and Propositions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ladybug has her first encounter with the new villain known as Hawkmoth. Meanwhile, Chat Noir makes her an offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Second installment coming your way. :) No warnings apply to this chapter.

Date: October 26th

Location: 45th Street

Ladybug landed on the roof of an old building. She hid behind a gargoyle, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. Could this be a real villain? Or just the average crook wearing a mask? The guy did look like he was flying and using some very high-tech equipment, but she couldn’t afford to jump to conclusions, now or ever. She poked her head out from the side of the gargoyle and watched for the criminal.

She didn’t have to wait long. Moments later, she heard more screaming. Jumping on top of the gargoyle, she could clearly make out the purple-clad figure hovering in mid-air. “Stop right there!” she stupidly called. 

_And the hero of the year award goes to . . . Ladybug! For her creative way with words._

The masked figure, whose build appeared to be a man, turned in her direction. “Ah, yes. The infamous Ladybug! Bravo everyone, she’s here to save the day! Her spotted spandex suit that is much too tight and her justice-provoking words are enough to send any villain screaming for the hills! And let’s not forget her trusty magic yo-yo! I’m absolutely distressed, can’t you tell?” The villain spoke in a deep, robotic tone. He must have been wearing a device that disguised his real voice.

Ladybug grimaced at his words. “So you’re a smart one, eh? I’ll show you what I do to—“ 

“Oh cut the act,” the man snapped, twirling his staff. “We all know you’re secretly terrified inside, so you talk yourself up all big and then can’t live up to the expectations.” 

“Y-You know nothing!” Ladybug fumed, clenching her fists at her sides. Red hot blood crawled up her cheeks and pounded in her ears. 

“Oh really?” the man asked in a sultry voice. “What about that criminal that escaped because of your clumsiness? Hm? Got a retort for that, oh great hero of Paris?”

Whatever retort Ladybug had died on her tongue. He was right—if she had been less clumsy, the robber wouldn’t have gotten away. Swallowing, she pulled her yo-yo off of her waist. If the villain had noticed her flinch, the only recognition was the mischievous glint in his eye. 

He had noticed her flinch. Grinning like a cat about to pounce, he twirled his baton in his hand. “This game’s quite boring, don’t you think little bug? Why don’t we play another?” He had her right where he wanted her, and he was determined to keep it that way—

But what he wasn’t counting on was her lunging at him so soon. Grunting, he jumped back to avoid her blow and flew in the air. Thanks to propellers infused in the back of his suit, he was able to stay in the air for a certain amount of time.

“Now, now young heroine, don’t get feisty with me so soon. I’ve seen how you fight. You have some good tactics, there’s no denying that. However—” In an instant, he had slammed her against the wall. One of his hands pinned her wrist above her head, effectively holding her yo-yo hostage. “—You also leave room for many weaknesses. One of the most prominent,” he kneed Ladybug in the stomach as she tried this squirm free, “is that you start to get sloppy when you’re feisty. You have an attitude, and while some people find that intriguing,” his eyes shimmered with an undetectable emotion, “it will also be your downfall.”

In seconds, Ladybug was kicking him off, sending him flying through the air. She had used the building’s wall as a brace to push off of. She landed on the awning of a building, clinging to it with her back while her uninjured hand rubbed her wrist. Clipping her yo-yo to her belt, she began calculating with her eyes. 

This was no ordinary crook—there was no denying that fact. He had advanced tech and was clearly experienced when it came to fighting. He said he knew her style—how long had he been watching her fight? And if he wasn’t someone getting revenge on her, why did he have a vendetta against her? Was it just because she was a hero, or was there something deeper involved? 

A purple blast of light shocked Ladybug back to business. Snatching up her yo-yo again, she jumped off the awning and swings onto a roof. Something hooked around her leg, however, and she screamed as she was lifted into the air. 

The villain dangled her in front of him. He was still floating, a smug look on his face. He had her by her ankle, but neither of his arms seemed busy. Horrified, she slowly looked up to see that a metal hook had protruded from a metallic pack on his back, and was holding her high above the ground. In fact, more metal hooks and gadgets were appearing, until they were in the shape of two large butterfly wings. 

“Dear, sweetest Ladybug,” he said in a chiding tone. “You have such a pretty face. I would love to see the whole thing.” Then he reached for the mask, his teeth glinting mischievously in the light. His fingertips brushed her skin, and she almost flinched at the contact. “Such beauty,” he murmured, preparing to rip the mask off. 

Something hit the back of his head, and Ladybug was suddenly dropped to the ground. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she blindly flailed her arms and looked for something to swing her yo-yo onto. However, someone caught her. Relieved, Ladybug looks at the face of her savior. 

Only she ended up screaming again and punching them in the face. 

Falling onto the pavement, the air left her body with a painful whoosh. Coughing, she rolled onto her back and tried to jump to her feet. But the person that caught her was standing above her, pinning her down. 

She wished it looked like a person. However, the human features seemed to have melted away. There was a large card wedged in the back of its head, and from it, black veins were spreading throughout its body. Its eyes were white and soulless, crawling with more black veins. It pinned her down with sharpened claws, grinning down at her with its pointy white teeth. It snarled at her, daring her to move. 

But she was Ladybug, and she can’t back down from a challenge. 

Lifting her leg and kicking the figure in the groin, she then used her knees to fling it backward. Rolling onto her stomach, she pushed to her feet and bared her teeth at the fallen person. Then she whirled around, expecting to see Hawkmoth. Instead, she saw a black shadow scratching at his face. 

“What in the name of—“ Ladybug started, but that was all she managed to get out. She was tackled from behind by multiple figures, all baring the same grotesque features as the former. They snarled and growled like animals as they pinned her to the floor. She screamed, but it’s muffled. 

She heard a crash, and then a moment later a much closer thud. The weight on her chest began to lessen as the pressure around her was removed one by one. Then, she was face to face with her true savior. 

The one and only Chat Noir. 

Screaming at her dumb luck, Ladybug’s first instinct was to punch him in his stupid face. She couldn’t believe that she had just given him the satisfaction of saving her. Chat ducked, successfully avoiding the blow.

“Someone’s _pawsitively_ excited to see me,” he tried, but his face fell when he realized the severity of the situation. “About what I caused last time—“ he started, but Ladybug cut him off before he could go any further. 

“Less talking, more fighting,” Ladybug snapped. “You want to help? Fine. Help. But this is the last time I work with you. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal,” he tried not to grin but failed miserably. 

The villain decided, however, that it was a nice time to give a cliche speech. “PEOPLE OF PARIS!” His voice rang out above the city, and all cowering away looked up to see him. “I will rule all of you with an iron fist—and eventually the world! And I will not stop until Ladybug and Chat Noir are out of my way for good!” 

“Uh oh, that sounds permanent,” Chat cringed. “Who is this guy anyway?”

Well, the villain apparently heard him. Because next, he announced, “My name is Hawkmoth. And you will all be under my control!” Then, with a tip of his hat, a cloud of dark purple smoke engulfed him, and he disappeared out of sight. 

“That went well,” Chat tried to lighten the situation, but Ladybug only shot him a cold stare and swung off. Scrambling to grab his baton, he followed her. 

****

≫ ─── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ─── ≪

“So who do you think the villain is? I bet—“ Chat started, following Ladybug onto the roof of a nearby building.

“Shut. Up.” Ladybug shot him a glare, cutting him off. She leaped off the roof into a nearby alleyway. Landing on the ground, she flipped open her yo-yo to check the news footage. 

Chat wasn’t going to let her leave without closure. He followed her into the alleyway, landing down behind her. “Why are you avoiding me? I know what I did was wrong, but I saved your ass back there! I don’t expect a party but a thank you would be nice,” he crossed his arms angrily. 

Ladybug whirled around, jabbing her finger into his chest. “You could have cost people their lives!” she yelled. “What is this—a game to you? One where you get to put on a pretty suit and act like a superhero? Well guess what: It’s not! People’s lives are on the line here. Especially now with the appearance of that . . . that guy! It’s anything BUT a game!” Her blue eyes flared with anger. 

Chat ignored the fact that she called his suit pretty in favor of her insulting him. “Excuse me?” he sneered at her. “Of course I know this isn’t a game! You’re just pissed because I showed up and took the spotlight off of you. You thought you could play dress up as a new hero to get all the attention. If anyone thinks this is a game, it’s you,” he spat. “So DON’T stand there and insult me when you’re just as much at fault as I am. I WILL keep fighting as a hero regardless of what you say. So you either are with me or are against me. Do I make myself clear?” 

Chat hadn’t noticed, but he had backed Ladybug up into the wall. His fists shook as he brought them against the wall next to her face. His nostrils flared, and he gazed at her with a challenging look. Ladybug refused to be intimidated by him, but his words had stung. None of it was true—she didn’t want to help people for fame. She did it because . . . she wanted to. She wanted to prove a small woman like herself could save thousands of people. She liked helping people because it made her feel good. And yeah, she liked the attention, but it wasn’t why she did it. 

But Chat had just assumed things like she had done to him a moment before. Trying to mask her hurt, she gave him a defiant gaze. “You know nothing. Now get out of my way,” she hissed. 

Chat threw his head back in a bitter laugh. “You think you’re all that. Well guess what: you’re human just like the rest of us. You’ll need MY help to defeat that villain, whether you like it or not.” He rested his forehead against the wall, his lips inches from her skin. “I’m giving you three weeks to make up your mind. No more, no less. If you refuse to work with me, I’ll set about stopping the villain on my own. If you agree, we’ll work together to stop him. Got it?” He lifted his face and flashed her a sharp-toothed grin. “Two can play at this game, Princess,” he murmured. “You’re not the only one who holds the cards.”

And with a swish of his tail, he vaulted out of the alleyway and left her all alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.n. Oooo~ Chat makes some pretty tempting offers, doesn't he? ;) Please leave kudos if you liked this. And thanks for reading!


End file.
